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12/22 21:33 CST Wagler powers No. 20 Illinois past Missouri 91-48 for biggest
blowout in Braggin' Rights rivalry
Wagler powers No. 20 Illinois past Missouri 91-48 for biggest blowout in
Braggin' Rights rivalry
By JEFF LATZKE
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) --- Freshman guard Keaton Wagler made a career-best five
3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead No. 20 Illinois to a 91-48 rout of
Missouri on Monday night.
Andrej Stojakovic returned from a first-half injury to score 16 points, and
Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points as the Fighting Illini (9-3) rolled to the most
lopsided victory in the history of the Braggin' Rights rivalry.
Sebastian Mack had 17 points off the bench to lead Missouri (10-3) as coach
Dennis Gates left his reserves in for much of the second half with the game out
of hand.
After building a 16-point lead at halftime, the Illini poured it on with two
3-pointers from Ivisic in the opening minutes of the second half and finally
pulled their starters with 2 1/2 minutes left.
The largest previous margin of victory in the series, which has been played 45
times since 1980, was Illinois' 82-50 blowout in 2005, when it was coming off a
Final Four run.
Wagler went 5 for 6 from 3-point range and improved to 12 for 18 in the past
three games.
The Illini started to pull away midway through the first half with a run fueled
by second-chance points on one end and blocks on the other.
Wagler, Ben Humrichous and Jake Davis all hit 3-pointers that followed
offensive rebounds during one four-minute stretch that also featured three
blocks by Zvonimir Ivisic.
Anthony Robinson II scored Missouri's first nine points to keep it close early
on, but the Tigers trailed 41-25 by the time he closed the first half by
hitting a free throw for his 10th point. He finished with 12.
Stojakovic, Illinois' second-leading scorer, went to the locker room with nine
minutes left in the first half after appearing to injure his left leg. He
returned to the bench before halftime and started the second half, even driving
for a thunderous dunk to make it 63-36 midway through the second half.
Up next Missouri opens SEC play at home Jan. 3 against No. 22 Florida. Illinois hosts Southern next Monday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball |
